Loretta Virginia Woodkins Turner was born on December 12, 1940, in Marshall, Texas, to Henry and Lurlie Wilkins Woodkins. She passed away on Friday, October 18, 2024. She was preceded in death by her husband, James Madison Turner; her daughter, Lannie LaVelle Turner; her brother, Thomas Henry Woodkins; and her niece, Debrah Woodkins Cornish.

Loretta received her elementary education at Dogan Elementary and graduated from Pemberton High School in 1959. She earned her bachelor's degree from Wiley College and was a member of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. She was also a member of the Dallas MetroPlex Wiley College Alumni Association.

She met her husband at Wiley College, and after graduation, they married and moved to Dallas, Texas, where she worked for a number of years at Hartford and Cigna Insurance companies before retiring.

While living in Marshall, Loretta was a member of New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church. In June of 2003, she united with Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, where she worked with the Silver Stars and Sewing ministries, Kingdom Collegiate Academies, and as a school volunteer. She loved the Lord and enjoyed working in her church.

Loretta leaves behind to celebrate her homegoing her sister, Shirley Pleasant; her brother, Clyde (Marie) Woodkins; her sister-in-law, Willia Ruth Woodkins; her grandson, Timothy Turner-Parrish; her niece, LaShonda Woodkins (Roderick) Pernetter; her nephews, Clyde (Erica) Woodkins Jr., Christopher Lang, and Johnathan (Mariya) Thomas; and a host of great-nieces and nephews, cousins, and friends.